Lubricating device



Aug. 30, 1949. c s o 2,480,549

,LUBRICATING DEVICE Filed Sept. 28, 1946 6 j 4 wnuunlnullunm ""11",",

F 'IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII lNVENTOR Arnie D. fashion BY mwrk ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 30. 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE 2,480,549

LUBRICATING DEVICE Arnie D. Cashion, Davidson, N. C. Application September 28, 1946, Serial No. 700,057

1 Claim.

This invention relates to lubricant feeding devices and more particularly to a device for delivering minute quantities of lubricant to the bearing surfaces of twister rings.

In the lubrication of twister rings it has been found desirable to deliver a very minute measured quantity of lubricant to the ring at intervals timed with respect to the reciprocating movements of the ring, and this feed is accomplished intermittently by the advancing of a piston in a lubricant feed cylinder toward the discharge end of the cylinder that is connected to the twister ring. Inasmuch as the quantity of lubricant forced from the cylinder at each actuation is exceedingly minute, amounting to about 4 to 6 ten thousandths of a cubic inch, it is absolutely essential that all air be excluded from the-feed cylinder in order to insure accurate measurement of the minute charges of lubricant.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simple and convenient means for filling the feed cylinder with lubricant which will be effective to exclude air from the feed cylinder.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention may be said to comprise'the device as illustrated in the accompanying drawings hereinafter described and particularly set forth in the appended claims, together with such variations and modifications thereof as will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

Reference should be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation showing one of the feed devices of the present invention applied to a ring rail of a twister frame;

Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section through the feed cylinder;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on at 3-3 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line indicated at 4--4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section through the cylinder head centrally of the filling valve, and

Fig, 6 is a section similar to Fig. 5 showing the valve engaged by the nozzle of a lubricant supply device such as a grease gun.

In the accompanying drawings the device of the present invention is shown applied to a rail l of a twister frame in which a series of rings 2 are mounted, a fragment of the rail l and one of the rings 2 being shown in the drawings. A series of lubricant feed devices, one for each ring. are mounted on the rail l and operated simulthe line indicated taneously in timed relation to the reciprocating movements of the rail I. Since the present invention is concerned with the feed unit per se, only one of such feed units is illustrated. As shown in Fig. 4, the rail I is provided with a passage 3 leading to the interior of the ring 2 for delivering lubricant to the ring, the lubricant being fed from a cylinder 4 mounted on the rail alongside the ring. The cylinder 4 is provided with a head 5 provided with an integral attaching flange 6 by means of which one end of the cylinder may be secured to the rail l and the opposite end of the cylinder 4 is supported in a sectional housing 1 that is detachably connected to the rail I.

The lubricant feed device is operated by a line shaft 8 to which a gear 9 is attached which meshes with a gear nut Ill which has an internally threaded hub that receives a screw ll which is moved axially by means of the nut lb. The nut H] is mounted against. axial movements in the housing 1 and the screw H is held against rotation by flat faces l2 which fit in an opening in a detachable cylinder head I3 through which the screw extends. At its inner end the screw H is rounded at [4 for engagement with a piston l5 that is provided with a central recess Hi to receive the end of the screw. The piston I5 is free from attachment to the screw ll so thatthe screw II can be retracted independently of the piston l5 so that the piston can be moved toward the head l3 by the pressure of lubricant delivered into the cylinder.

The cylinder 4 is connected to the passage 3 in the rail l by means of a suitable tube l"! which connects the passage 3 with the passage I8 formed in the head 5 of the cylinder. The head 5 has a transverse bore l9 forming a valve chamber into which the passage I8 opens, openings 20 and 2| being provided on the inner side of the chamber to provide communication between the chamber and the interior of the cylinder 4. A valve 22 has a cylindrical body that has a sliding fit in the chamber I9 and that is provided with an external groove 23 that is adapted to register with the discharge passage l8 and opening 20 to establish communication between the interior of the cylinder and the passage 3. The valve 22 is retained in the chamber H] by means of a gland nut 24 and gasket 25, the valve being provided with a stem 26 that extends through the nut 24. The stem 26 is provided with an axial passage 21 that extends to the outer end thereof and which has a lateral opening 28 at its inner end so positioned that in one position of the valve the openings 2| and 28 register and the passage 21 communicates with the interior of the cylinder 4.

When the valve 22 is in its outermost position the groove 23 registers with the passage 18 and opening 20 to establish communication between the cylinder and the passage 3. When the valve is in its innermost position communication is established between the passage 21 and the interior of the cylinder through the openings 28 and 2|. During the operation of the feeder the. valve is held in its outermost position by means of a spring 29 that is seated against the inner end of the chamber [9 and which extends into a recess 30 in the inner end of the valve 22'. When it is desired to replenish the supply of lubricant V in the cylinder 4, the shaft 8 is operated to retract the screw II and lubricant is then forced through the passage 21 into the cylinder to fill the cylinder and force the piston l5 into engage- I ment with the retracted screw.

The stem 26 is formed to receive a nozzle 31- through which lubricant is supplied to the cylinder, the nozzle 3| being the delivery nozzle of. a suitable. lubricant supply device. such as a grease gun. In filling the cylinder the nozzle 3! is pressed against. the stem 26, moving the valve inwardly to. the position shown in Fig. 6 and lubricant. is forced from the. nozzle 3!. and passage 21 into the cylinder until the cytinder is filled.

The nut 24; is preferably provided with a recess. 32 to receive the nozzle 34 so that the nozzlev may be readily retained in proper engagement. with the stem 26. The movement oi the valve to its; innermost position cuts: off the delivery passage IB and opens the passage 2'! to the cylinder so. that thelubricant-can be forced under the desired pressure into the cylinder 4 to. torce. the piston l5 to its retracted position By so forcing the lubricant into the cylinder, the cylinder may be filled with lubricant. without drawing any. air into. the. cylinder, so that when the piston [5' is. again moved by the screw I 1 toward the discharge. end of the cylinder, lubricant may be: intermittently advanced through the passage 3 to the. ring in such manner that a solid column of lubricant is 4 maintained between the cylinder and the. ring without any air bubbles which would destroy thev continuity of feed and the accuracy of measurement of the intermittently fed charges.

It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the specific devices herein shown and described for purposes of illustration, may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What I claim is:

In a lubricant feeding device, a cylinder having a head provided with a valve chamber closed at its inner end and having a gland of smaller internal diameter at its outer end, said. head having delivery passages from said chamber to the interior of the cylinder and from said chamber to the exterior of the head and an inlet passage fromtheninterior of the cylinder to the valve chamber, and a valve slidably fitting in said chamber, saidvalve having a recess opening to its inner end and a spring mounted in said recess and engaging the inner end of said chamber, said spring normally holding said valve in its outermost position against said gland and being compressiblle: into said recess to permit. said valve. to seat against the inner end ct said: chamber, said valve having portions adapted to connect said inlet passage to said exterior delivery passage. and: tax close. the. interior delivery passage in the outermost position of the. valve and to open the interior passagev and close the other passages when the. valve is moved inwardly, said valve. having a. stem that: tits in said; gland and projects pastsaid; gland, said stem having an axially extending passage. to the outer end thereof that has a. laterai opening adjacentits inner end; that. is closed by said,- gland when the valve in its outermost position.

D. CASHION.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

